Quinlan, Karen Ann

1975 - Karen Ann Quinlan had a cardiopulmonary arrest, fell into a coma in April, allegedly after mixing drugs and alcohol at a party.

1976 - After she had been on a respirator and a feeding tube for about a year, her family asked hospital authorities to remove her from life support; the hospital refused. Her case was one of the first to call attention to the "right to die" debate nationally.

- The Quinlans were finally granted permission from the New Jersey Supreme Court to remove Karen from life support.

1985 - She lived on in a coma for another 9 years until she died of pneumonia on June 11th.